Electric rotary laundry iron



01:25.21, A. F. YOERG 2,102 87 ELECTRIC ROTARY LAUNDRY IRON Filed Aug. 20, 1935 Patented De 21 1937 ELECTRIC ROTARY LAUNDRY IRON K Alfred F. Yocrg, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor of one-half to Harry Iowa Schlesinger, Des Moines,

Application August 20, 1935, Serial No. 37,001

6 Claims.

rotary ironfor laundering, pressing and the like, which is simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

5 A further object is to provide a tool having a heated sole plate which revolves relativeto the major portion of the tool for the purpose of traveling over a much greater area of the material being ironed, or otherwise finished, during 1 normal movement of the tool across the material. thusreducing the amount of manual movement required in proportion to the actual passageof the sole plate over the'material.

Still a further object is to provide a compact 15 iron comprising acasing having a manipulating handle, a rotary sole plate mounted on the bottom thereof and an electric motor carried by the casing and connected with the sole plate for rotating it during the operation of the iron. 0 Still another object is to provide collector ring and brush means within the casing for electrically connecting the heating element of the sole plate with -a current conducting cord which extends to the casing. 1 25 Another object is to provide a counterbalance means forthe iron which is operable to assist the operator in moving the iron to a position spaced from the work when it is desirable to do so.

' With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accom-' 35 panying drawing in which:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a rotary laundry iron embodying my invention and showing it in ironing position.

Figure 2 is a enlarged plan view of the iron.

40 Figure 3 is a still more greatly enlarged view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 to show internal details of construction.

Figure-4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 to show a collector ring and brush 45 mechanism for supplying electric current. to the heating element of the sole plate.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line I-Iof Figure 1 showing a lock for a suspension cord connected with the iron; and

50 Figure 6 is a wiring diagram of the motor an heating element of my invention.

0n the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral II to indicate a sole plate. It is circular in shape. beiiis preferably upturned 55 at its periphery as indicated at l2. Anannular (c1. 2 19-25) An object of my invention is to provide a groove I 4 is formed in the sole plate In within which I locate an electric heating element [8.

- The heating element It is retained in position by a sheet of insulation i8 and a cover plate 20. Cap screws 22 are provided for retaining the cover 5 plate 20 in position and clamping the sheet of insulation l8 between the cover plate and the sole plate.

The plate 20 has a tubular extension 24 in which is mounted a pair of graphite bearings 26. These rotate on astationary shaft 28 having a head 30 and mounted as by screw threading or the like in a hub 32 of a' casing 34. Thus the sole plate I0 is rotatably mounted relative to the casing 34.

Mounted on the casing 84 is a motor 88. A. gear casing 38 is connected with the motor 36. Within the gear casing the shaft of the motor has a worm 40 which meshes with a worm gear 42. The worm gear 42 drives a shaft 44 iournailed in the casing 88,

A torsion spring 48 has its upper end connected with the shaft 44 and its lower end connected with "a pinion shaft 48. The pinion shaft 48 is secured in a sleeve 50 which rotates in graphite bearings 52. The bearings 52 are supported by a stationary sleeve 54 having a flange 58 secured to the upper sui'face of the casing 34 by screws 58. The sleeve 54 projects downwardly through an opening 80 in the casing.

Secured tothe rotating sleeve 50 is a pinion 62 which meshes with a gear 84. The gear- 84 is secured to the sleeve 24 whereby to rotate it, and thereby the sole plate l0, upon the pinion 82 rotating the gear.

Mounted within the casing 34 and suitably insulated with relation thereto are collector rings 88 and 88. Brushes I0 and 12 contact respectively with the collector rings 88 and 68 and are carried by terminals 14 and 18 of the heating element I8. The brushes l0 and 12 are mounted on leaf springs 18 and 88 which cause the brushes to resiliently engage the collector rings.

For controlling the motor 36 I provide a motor switch 82 preferably of snap-switch" type for 4 either turning the motor off or on as desired.

For controlling the heating element It I pro: vide a rheostat switch 84, also preferably of the snap acting type and operable to energize the heating element It for low, medium or high heat, as desired.

These are conveniently located adjacent a manipulating handle 88 which is mounted on the casing 34 by means ofa yoke 88, a swivel stud and a bracket 82. The stud 88 has an annular 551 groove 94. A retainer-pin 96 extends-through the bracket 92 for retaining the stud 90 in position, yet permitting swivelling movement thereof.

For convenience in positioning and supporting the iron, I provide the following described mechanism:

A pulley is provided having side plates 98 and a sheave I00 journalled therebetween. A'suspension cord I02 extends over the sheave I00 and has one end secured to a yoke I04 and its other end to a countereweight I06. Thesuspension' cord I02 is preferably a combined suspension cord and electric conductor for conducting electric current from a plug-in fitting I08 or other connection with a source of electric current to the motor and heating-element of the iron. The pulley may be suspended irom a ceil ing I I 0 or the like by means of a hook M2 or from a rigid arm or any other suitable type of cam surface I28.which is shaped eccentric relative to the pin 0. 4

Practical o erat on wardly slightly to release the cam surface I26 and swung toward the right'in-Figure 5 to the dotted position for causing the arm- M4 to swing the clamp block I20 about the pin I28 as a pivot,

thus completely releasing the cord 502 relative to the supporting pulley.

The iron is then moved downwardly into contact with thework (such as a piece of fabric. B30 I on an ironing board l32.in Figure 1,) and the cord I02 pulled downwardly far enough to provide sufiicient slack for the ironing operation. 'The cord I 02 is then swung toward theleft so as to rotate the clamping block I20 counterclockwise to the clamped position shown by full lines in Figure 5 so that the counter-weight I 08 slackduring theironing operation. I

I The counter-weight is preferably heavier than the iron and thus eflectively relieves the operator of the necessity of-lifting the weight of the iron when raising it from the work being done so that another piece of work can be placed on the ironing board. I

The heating element I0 is readily controlled as to the temperature desired for the sole plate 4 by manipulating the rheostat switch 04 while the rotation of the sole plate is obtained by switch-r ing the switch 82 to the "on" position. The sole plate. l0 revolves for-the purpose oi causing a maximum sliding travel of the sole plate over the workbeing' ironed withfa minimum of manual operation in moving the iron relative to the work to cover the entire surface thereof. Thus the desirable sheen onironed work is secured without the necessity of having to repeatedly move the iron across the same ,area.

In the operation of my electric rotary laundry iron, the iron may be suspended when not in use casing 36 would sometimes be in an awkward position for ironing a particular part of the work. The torsion spring connection 46 provides for smoothness of operation especially when parts of the work ofier more resistance to the rotation of the sole plate than other parts'thereof, which tends to throw a greater load on the motor and which load is partly absorbedby twisting of the spring so that the operation of the motor is thus made smoother.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims'any modified forms of structure or.

use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably; included within their scope.

' I claim as myinvention:

1. In an electric rotary laundry iron, an inverted: cup-shaped casing; a headed post depending from, the top wall thereof, a current supply cord extending to said casing, asole plate having a hub rotatably mounted on said post and confined against vertical movement by said top wall and the head of said post, an electric heating element carried by said sole plate, collector ring and brush means for electrically connecting said heating element with said current supply cord and an electric motor operatively connected with said sole plate to rotate the same relative to the casing.

2. In a rotary iron of the character described, an inverted, cup-shaped casing, a manipulating handle member thereon, a post projecting downwardly from the to'p'thereot, a sole plate, a hub projecting upwardly therefrom and rotatably receiving said post, electric'means for heating said sole plate, collector ring and brush means for supplying electric current to said sole plate from said casing and an electric motor carried by said casing for rotating said sole plate.

3. Ina rotary iron of the character described,

a manipulating handle member, a'sole plate, a heating element for said sole plate; a cover plate vfor retaining said heating element against said sole plate, means projecting upwardly from said cover plate for journaling said cover plate relative to said handle member and means for rotating said last means and thereby said. sole plate, and heating element means for supplyon said casing for rotating said sole plate relative to said casing, said means for heating said sole plate comprising an electric heating element, means for supplying electricity to said casing and means ,for continuously supplying the electricity from said casing to said electric motor and to said-sole plate during rotation thereof relative to the casing. 4 5. In an electric rotary laundry iron, an inverted, cup-shaped casing, a headed post depending from the top wall thereof, a current supply cord extending to said casing,- a sole plate having a hub rotatably mounted on said post and confined against vertical movement by said top wall and the head of said post, an electric heating element carried by said sole plate, collector ring and brush means for electrically connecting said heating element with said current supply cord and an electric motor operatively connected with said sole plate to rotate the same relative to the casing, said motor being mounted on said casing with its shaft in a horizontal position, a gear casing connected with said motor and thereuy supported, a vertical shaft projecting from said gear casing, an operative connection within said gear casing between said shafts. and an operative connection betweenvthe lower end of said vertical shaft and said sole plate.

6. In a rotary iron of the character described, a casing, a post depending from the top thereof, a sole plate having a hub rotatably mounted on said post, means for heating said sole plate and means for rotating said sole plate comprising'a motor mounted on the exterior of said casing, worm gearing connected therewith, a gear casing for enclosing said worm gearing and for supporting it, said gear casing being-connected with said motor for support thereby, a vertical shaft projecting downwardly from said gear casing and an operative connection from the lower end of said vertical shaft to said sole plate for rotating the sole plate upon rotation of the vertical shaft due to energization of said motor.

ALFRED F. YOERG. 

